The Lives We Touch
by TheFalsePoet
Summary: Aang x On Ji. 5 years after the dance party they meet again under better circumstances. Fun for the whole gAang.
1. Chance Reunion

**I do not own Avatar, and probably never will.**

**This story is in no way connected to my on going stories. Just a little silly Aangji oneshot. Enjoy.  
**

**--**

Aang and Appa were scarcely into Fire Nation territory when the storm hit. Thankfully the island beneath them looked hospitable enough to stay the night. They landed close by the shore at the mouth of a cave. Momo quickly flew around to take a look at the odd earth formations inside the place. Large circular sections rose from the floor. They seemed to be deteriorating from the weather taking its toll, but it was unmistakably the result of earth bending in years past, and after the Avatar got Appa settled in and a fire started, he noticed this peculiar fact himself. In fact, the whole thing seemed oddly familiar. Was that rectangular formation off to the side a table in the past? Was there a party here?

Aang listened to the rain pour down outside the mouth of the cave, and put these surroundings out of his mind. Instead he reflected on the work he had been dealing with for the past five years when he wasn't running spirit world relations errands. He had left the Southern Air Temple in Teo's capable hands while he was gone, but he still worried about the nomads trying to destroy the mountain if they got restless. None of them could airbend, but they took easily to the discipline and the culture. Very few of them ate meat to begin with, and many of them already had some conception of meditation and removal of earthly possessions. The martial arts were a bit tougher, but they all seemed fit for it in mind if not in body. A few were rather sluggish and slowed by an extended belly, but they were all as adamantly against violence as the Avatar himself. Some were even getting quite skilled. Aang smiled at the progress that little Shin had made in the five years since he became one of the first of Aang's "airbending" students. The boy was not twelve years old, and Aang was considering giving him the tattoos that would mark him as a master. It was now just up to the boy's parents, and the boy himself. He'd be the first one to receive those markings in over a hundred years. The thought of it nearly brought Aang to tears as he pondered his brethren and ancestors. He couldn't bring back airbending over night, or the wind bisons at all, but at least he could make some progress towards restoring the culture.

He stoked the fire he had built and retrieved a bag of fruit from his traveling gear on Appa's back. He pulled out a couple leechee nuts and threw them in the direction of Momo who rested on the large circular shelves protruding from the floor near the back of the cave. He leaned back against the edge of the odd formation and ate and pondered what Zuko needed him for at the capital. Of course, Aang had to be there in a week's time either way for the five year anniversary of Zuko's coronation, but he had apparently asked the "Boomerang Gang" to come as soon as possible for an announcement of some kind. Zuko has had his share of trouble since the end of the war. It took scarcely two months before Mai's true intentions came out. Apparently she had changed sides for the sole purpose of gaining power for herself. Realizing that being a friend of Azula was about as safe as cliff diving at the Boiling Rock, she went with the side of the Avatar. It helped that her ex still loved her and was on that side anyways. However, when standing next to the Fire Lord wasn't enough power she set towards standing alone as Fire Lady… without Zuko. That mess took another year to clear up. Then there was finding his mother. Ursa really was a wonderful lady. Aang recalled meeting her only two years ago at the capital. She had since moved to Ba Sing Se and works with Iroh at the Jasmine Dragon. Maybe old scar-face has found somebody else to become his wife. Maybe King Kuei is threatening war via Bosco's pungent gas. Aang figures it's best to just not worry about it and goes back to watching the storm brewing outside. Lightening is passing just over head, but the storm itself looks fairly small. By tomorrow it'll be clear, and Aang can continue on towards the palace after making sure no fires were started near by. Storms always seemed strange in the middle of summer like this, but as humid as it gets in the Fire Nation it's not that shocking.

It'd be nice to see the whole gang again. Aang, being the nomad he was, got to see them all pretty regularly. A problem occurs in the South and of course, Aang shows up at the pole to check in on Hakoda and his children. Katara was conspicuously not present the last time he stopped in, something about a political position that she was undertaking, but Suki and Sokka were there with their new daughter, Kya. From what Gran-Gran (or now, Great Gran-Gran) says, the little girl looks exactly like her name sake. In fact, it was the little girl's birth that had acted as the catalyst to get the whole gang together the last time. It was roughly year and a half ago now. Zuko put on an air of reluctance to be involved, but still was one of the first to agree to show up. Toph flat out refused to go to the South Pole, so the celebration of the new life was moved to Kyoshi Island. The girl had family there too after all. Whatever Zuko was planning, it would be nice to see everybody again.

Aang yawned, exhausted, and finally decided to put out his fire and bundle up to sleep for the night.

"Good night, Appa."

Growl.

"Good night, Momo."

The lemur chattered a bit before flying over to lick Aang's cheek and curl up on Appa's side.

--

"Hello?"

Aang slowly opened his eyes and sat up. "Umm, Momo? You talking again?"

"Who?"

The lemur chirped and flew over to sit on Aang's shoulder. The Avatar shook the sleep from his head. "You're right, that's not your voice at all, is it Momo?" He looked around and saw a girl standing near the entrance of the cave he was in. Slowly he became conscious of his surroundings again. "Ohh, hi. I'm sorry, am I trespassing here or something? Didn't expect it to be a problem."

"Ohh, no, no. Don't mind me. I was just surprised to find anybody here myself. Wait, aren't you?"

Aang sighed. He knew that sound. Another fan that was gonna ask for something silly like an autograph or a blessing or a date. "Yeah, I'm the Avatar."

"Hmm," the girl looked at his face for a while, studying him.

"I know, I know… I'm not as cute in person. It happens."

"No, I was just thinking that you looked familiar is all." She scratched her head. "Well, obviously yeah, of course you look familiar, you're the Avatar. Just, I feel I've met you before. But, no, my life's too dull for that."

"So, umm, if you don't mind my asking," Aang grabbed his robe and carefully dressed under the cover of his sleeping bag, "what are you doing out here? I thought this spot was far enough from town that nobody would be here."

"Well, I had some good memories here. This is actually the fifth anniversary of the first dance party I've ever been to." The girl blushed a little. "I know, sounds stupid, but, before you ended the war that kind of thing was just unheard of. I come here every once in a while, though, to remember the boy that invited me. It seems so petty and silly now, but that party really did change the kids at school. We actually threw another one shortly before the comet came. It wasn't as good, though."

Slowly things were starting to click in Aang's mind. This girl, with her gray eyes, he knew her. She was talking about his dance party. Back when he was Kuzon for few days, before the war ended. "So, well, obviously you know my name. Mind if I ask you your's?"

"On Ji. Pleased to meet you." She was about to bow, but at the last moment thought better of it. Nothing of this meeting was exactly formal.

"Wait, I think I might have a surprise for you. Close your eyes." Aang jumped up and hurried off to his traveling pack. It had to be in here somewhere. Aang was too much of a packrat to have lost it. Everything from that year was kept somewhere near him at all times, and most of it, no matter how tattered it became, was in that bag. At last, he came up with a beat up, faded, red head band with a golden emblem on it. Tying it around his forehead, right at the base the arrow tattoo, he returned to sit, lotus style, in front of his former classmate. "Alright, you can open your eyes now."

The look on On Ji's face was something that the Avatar would never forget. It became one more great memory to add to countless others in his life. Then, he surprised them both when he opened his mouth next. "I was on my way to a meeting with Zuko. You care to join me? I'm sure my friends would all love to see you again."


	2. Meeting the Family

**Ok, maybe it's not a oneshot. Enjoy _**

**Still not related to other stories. Still don't own ATLA  
**

**--**

"Umm, Kuz… Aang, I really don't feel like I belong here." Although she was surprisingly comfortable with the flying, and really enjoying the rush of the fresh cold air, she felt nauseous at the prospect of meeting the Avatar's friends.

"Don't be silly! It's not like you haven't met the others before."

"You mean your 'parents' and that other girl… they were…?" On Ji let the question fall, figuring the Avatar would understand what she meant to ask.

"Yep! Hey, looks like they saw us coming." After landing, Aang helped On Ji up and showed her the fun and easy way to dismount Appa; using his tail as a slide.

On Ji was star struck. There she was, a simple factory worker's daughter, standing before the Fire Palace as a guest of the Avatar. She recognized three of the four people that awaited her, not only from books and paintings and news papers, but from the dance party all those years ago: the lovely, Sapphire Fire – the more rugged looking, but equally lovely blind woman, whom she was never introduced to in the cave, but she recognized all the same – and the goofy looking, and now beardless, Wang Fire. Of course she knew their real names as well – Master Katara, Master Toph and Sokka. She also knew that the woman by Sokka's side had to be Suki, the great warrior from Kyoshi Island. She tried to speak, but found she had lost her tongue. It's one thing to speak with the Avatar, it's another to be placed in front of the most powerful benders and warriors on the planet as a guest.

"Aang! You look great!" Katara rushed up and embraced the bald monk who was now a half inch taller than the waterbender. "It's great to see you again."

Toph stepped up and punched the Avatar in the arm, and grinned widely. "Heya Twinkle Toes. Good to see you with a girl. I was starting to get worried."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Aang asked, rubbing his sore appendage.

"Just saying, with a nick name like 'Twinkles Toes', there's bound to be some suspicion."

"You gave me that name, though."

"Yeah," Toph shrugged. "But you're the one who answers to it."

"I told you not to! I told you it wasn't manly." Sokka mentioned, reaching out to hug his friend.

"Everybody, this is On Ji. On Ji, these are my friends. Sapphire Fire," Aang pointed to Katara, who in turn raised an eyebrow at the use of the terrible fake Fire Nation name she once used. He then pointed to Sokka, saying, "and her husband Wang Fire." Katara's eyes finally lit up with recognition. Everybody else was still very confused.

"Ohh my! On Ji! You were at that party we threw for all the school kids! Ohh my, I'm sorry I didn't notice before. Weren't you the girl Aang pulled out to dance with?" On Ji, still unable to speak, nodded. Her face remained a confused mixture of fear, awe and joy.

Toph raised an eyebrow. She nudged Sokka standing next to her and asked, not quite discreetly, "Is she hot?"

"What does it matter?" Aang interrupted before Sokka could answer.

"Just want to make sure my friend is doing well for himself." She then turned to Sokka again, and, a little more quietly, asked, "Was that a 'no'?"

"Anyways, On Ji, this is Sifu Toph, Sifu Katara, her brother, Sokka, and his wife, Suki."

"Umm… hi. Nice to meet you all." At least, that's what she tried to say. She was too busy trying not to feint to notice if it came out properly.

"So, where's Zuko?" Aang asked, as he grabbed his bag out of Appa's saddle and started removing the harness from around the bison's body.

Katara was the one to answer him. "He's finishing up a meeting with the Fire Sages. He said to wait for him in the dining hall for lunch, but we saw you coming through the windows."

"The Fire Sages? Is there something going on that I need to know about?"

"Well, yes." Aang's eyes filled with sorrow instantly, at the prospect of having to go perform his duties rather than celebrate with his friends. Seeing the look in his eyes, Katara quickly added, "Don't worry, it's nothing bad. I promise."

Some of the worry left his face at this, but he also came to realize he didn't even stop for breakfast that morning. "So, you said something about lunch?"

Aang took On Ji's hand, and started towards the palace, with Katara leading the way. Toph made sure that Sokka and Suki lagged behind a bit. "So?"

"She's very cute, Toph."

"That's not what I asked, Suki. Sokka?"

"Umm, sweety, you know I love you right?" Suki nodded her head then kissed his cheek. "So, you're not going to do horrible things to me for telling Toph the truth?"

"I'll only do horrible things to you if you ask really nicely."

"Ok, good. Then, yes, she is smoking." Suki reached up and slapped her husband in the head. "You promised!"

On Ji blushed and smiled a little at what she had overheard behind her.

--

"Can't we just start without him? I'm starving!" Aang protested.

Sokka looked up from the small girl he was holding in his lap. "Isn't that supposed to be my line?"

Katara had seated herself on the other side of On Ji from Aang, and was trying to get her to join in the conversation. "You seem even more nervous than you were at the party."

"Sorry, it's just a little overwhelming. I mean… You guys are… well, you're famous." She tried to steady her nerves. "You're all going to be in books and stories and remembered forever. I don't even know how I got here."

"Don't worry, we don't bite." Toph spoke from a reclined position in a stone chair she had made herself from the tile. "Well, except Suki, but you'd have to ask her really nicely apparently."

Sokka blushed and ducked his head. Suki glared at the blind girl, knowing the effect was wasted.

The doors opened and Zuko made his entrance. The Fire Sages were not accompanying him, apparently not needed present for his announcement. He walked over to the head of the rectangular dining table and took a seat. "Nice to see you again, Aang. We weren't quite expecting you so soon. Thought that storm would keep you a bit longer."

"Yeah, I had a hundred years in the pool we had going."

"Toph, hush," Katara said, reproachfully.

"Yeah, Toph, Katara wasn't supposed to know about that."

"Ohh, umm… Just kidding." Toph smiled and signaled for Zuko to continue talking to change the subject.

"Well, anyways, I guess you're all wondering why I asked you here." Zuko looked into Katara's eyes, trying to find the right phrasing for what he had to say. "I wanted you all to be here to tell you something very important. Katara and I, are getting married." He reached over and took the waterbender's hand in his own.

Suki jumped up from her seat and tackled Katara in a hug. Sokka jumped as well, in shock, about to tackle the Fire Lord until he realized Kya was in his lap, and was now flying through the air, over the table. A collective gasp issued from the table, but the only person in position to do anything about the child soaring through the air was On Ji, who instinctively reached out and caught the girl and pulled her in to cradle Kya in her arms. This was followed by an equally synchronized, collective sigh.

"By the spirits, thank you so much, On Ji!!" Suki released her grip on Katara, only to apply it to the grey eyed girl next to her instead.

"It was nothing, really. Was, just in the right spot, I guess." Suki's hug grew tighter and it looked like she was ready to cry from the adrenaline and fear. "Suki? You're starting to hurt me."

"Ohh, sorry." Suki let go of her new friend, stood up and turned on Sokka. "You! You are never holding my daughter again! You hear me?"

Sokka, the shock and anger towards his friend from moments ago forgotten, sheepishly sat back down. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"So, where's that food?" Toph broke the tension.

"Ohh, right. Let me get the servants to get that."

In minutes a vast assortment of food was brought to the table. Aang picked methodically through the dishes that did not have meat, and simply played with them on his plate. A couple bites of fruit and vegetation made it into his mouth, but most were eaten by the Lemur sitting on the table in front of the Avatar, instead. He remained quiet through the meal. On Ji noticed immediately, but said nothing. She would ask him about it later, if he was willing to talk about it then. The rest of the group continued talking through out the lunch about wedding plans and if Ursa and Iroh knew yet. At one point Toph excused herself from the table, citing a restroom trip, discreetly motioning for On Ji to join her. The fire nation girl placed a comforting hand on Aang's shoulder and did so.

"I could use the trip as well, and could use the help finding my way around this place," she told the others with a smile.

Once out in the hall Toph stopped her. "Look, don't take this the wrong way, but umm, you see what Katara just did to the airhead in there?"

"I'm guessing he had a crush on her?"

"That's putting it mildly, and that reaction is after five years of Aang trying to move past his feelings for her." On Ji felt a little self-conscious at this. Maybe the Avatar really was just innocently inviting her as an old friend, and not as a date. "So, a couple things: first, he doesn't mean to hurt your feelings with his reaction there, so don't take it badly, and second, you ever break his heart like she did, and you will have some angry, powerful people looking for you. We clear?"

On Ji was being threatened, by the greatest earthbender alive. She would be willing to do pretty much anything to avoid incurring her wrath. She nodded, looking petrified.

A couple seconds passed. "Did you nod?"

"Ohh, umm, yes, I understand."

"Ok, good." Toph then hugged the girl gently before backing up to punch her in the shoulder for good measure. "That's for catching Kya. Tell anybody I did that and you're dead."


	3. Night on the Town

**I promise I have not abandoned other stories. This one is just flooding my mind right now. The next chapter in the adventures of Jung is on its way, promise.**

**For now, though, enjoy.**

**--  
**

On Ji returned to her seat between Aang and Katara shorlty after Toph. The topic of conversation had not changed much. Toph and Sokka were holding their own conversation about an upcoming earthbending contest, while the other girls continued discussing dates and flowers and cuisine (all of which seemed impossible considering the nature of the wedding in question). Zuko sat quietly with a smile on his face, not understanding a word of what his fiancée or Suki were saying. Kya was seated comfortably in the lap of Aunt Katara, giggling and clapping as the waterbenders legs bounced her up and down gently. The Avatar still sat staring at a half empty plate of food in front of him.

"Aang?" On Ji spoke quietly, trying not to draw attention to herself from the others gathered around.

"Hmm?" Aang looked up into her eyes, his expression surprisingly neutral.

"You, umm…" What would bring his spirits up? Something to get him out of here so I can talk to him. Just to him. "You think you can show me around the city? Maybe on Appa?" The Avatar's eyes brightened a little at the mention of the big furry guy's name.

"That sounds like a great idea." Aang excused himself from the table, and they both started for the door. Toph was the only one that seemed to notice them leaving, and grinned broadly at the fire nation girl as they left.

On the way through the corridors, heading back out towards Appa, Aang looked over at woman beside him. Sokka really wasn't lying earlier. She was breathtaking. She was dressed, not in silk, but thin light linen for the most part. Her top was loose fitting – the sleeves were red lace, while the torso was a dark brown – and ended just at the level of her navel. A long, burgundy skirt went from just above her hips to the tops of the black leather boots she had on her feet. Aang didn't like the leather, for moral reasons, but they looked amazing on her, he couldn't deny it. She stood a few inches shorter than Aang, with soft, straight brown hair – most of which pulled back into a ponytail that reached down to her shoulders before looping back up to the hair tie it was kept in. Only her bangs remained short and loose, ending just above her eyebrows. She had well defined features, and soft, pale skin. What really struck the Avatar, though, were the eyes. They were large and iridescent, and most assuredly a smoky gray. In his childhood at the Southern Air Temple there was never a shortage of eyes just like those On Ji had, but that was a distant memory. In fact, of all of his friends, and all the people he had met throughout the world, On Ji, Ty Lee and Aang were the only ones with eyes like that. The memories they invoked made him smile.

"You should watch where you're going, Aang." On Ji said, her cheeks turning as red as the band holding her hair up.

Aang looked up just in time to avoid walking straight into the door frame that lead them out of the palace and into the courtyard where they landed earlier that day. "Thanks," Aang said, scratching the back of his neck nervously. His cheeks flushed as well, at being caught. "And, thank you for getting me out of there. I'm sorry for being so, Zuko like."

"Zuko like? The Fire Lord always looks so composed, though."

"Nah, that's just the paintings of him. You should've seen him a few years ago. Always stalking around, upset at the world, talking about his honor." On Ji giggled. Aang approached Appa and started moving the saddle to strap onto his back.

"Actually, is it possible to leave the saddle off? That can't be comfortable for him." On Ji walked up in front of the air bison's snout and was rewarded for her kindness with a lick that knocked her onto her rear.

Aang used his waterbending to dry her off, then helped her back to her feet. "I think he likes that idea. You'll have to hold on tight, though."

"That's fine." She smiled. "And, thank you for asking me to come with you. This is certainly something I'll never forget."

Aang looked down at his feet for a moment. "Yeah, me neither," he mumbled. On Ji laid a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. The nomad grabbed his staff out of the saddle, just incase, before they both climbed up onto Appa's head. Aang grabbed hold of the reins, while the lovely girl beside him laid down on her belly and grabbed hold of the bison's fur.

The monk yelled out "yip, yip" and within moments they were soaring over the Fire Nation capital. On Ji was instantly in love with flying. On the trip there she had been too nervous to fully enjoy it, but now, with the hard part of meeting his friends behind her, she could relax, and just enjoy the sights and the feeling of the cool fresh air blowing through her hair and over her body. Her eyes watered a little from the sting of it, but there was no sensation that could ever compare to this. "You doing alright? We can always go back for the saddle if you've changed your mind."

"No, I'm fine! This is perfect," she yelled over the loud winds. "It's so beautiful up here." Clear blue skies stretched out to a distant horizon before them. Below were rows upon rows of buildings that looked too small to house a beetle, and people roamed the streets looking small enough to be ants. The sun sparkled on the gold and red roofs. On Ji wanted to remember the scene for the rest of her life.

After a few minutes Aang began pointing out places that he remembered from times before. "Ohh look! That little alley right there was where Sokka and Suki had to throw up when they drank too much at the coronation after party." He then pointed to a particularly large hotel. "And that's where Toph got angry at somebody who tried to cheat her at a gambling table. See how the bricks don't quite match up on the third floor there? She destroyed that whole section of wall before I was able to drag her out of the place."

A large clock tower rose in the distance before them. The structure was of such a dark red it was almost black, with gold lining the outside of the clock face. "What's that tower?" On Ji asked.

"I think that's the Royal Fire Nation Academy for Boys. That clock had been there for over a hundred years even before I was born." The Avatar's stomach growled. "I think I should probably actually eat. You mind if we stop somewhere in town?"

"No, of course not. I've never seen the city from the ground either."

When they landed in the streets they were instantly surrounded by citizens trying to get a look at the Avatar. "Maybe this isn't such a good idea."

"Come on, even the all mighty Avatar needs some food, and I don't think going back to the palace would help with that." On Ji hopped off of the bison's head and stumbled, falling to one knee before getting back up.

"Are you alright?" Aang asked, hurrying to her side.

"Yeah, I'm fine" she replied hastily, brushing dust off of herself. "So, where do you want to eat?"

"Right across the street, there." Aang pointed to a sign that read "Café Aire". "It's the only place in town that has a decent vegetarian selection."

On Ji grabbed the Avatar's hand and started pulling him through the crowd toward the restaurant. "You think it's wise to leave Appa there?" she asked.

"Good point. Appa! Go back to Momo! I'll see you later, buddy!" Appa growled, scaring the entire crowd, then lifted up into the air and headed back toward the Fire Palace.

They were seated in a booth away from the large bay windows, and a very anxious looking waitress approached them with a pair of menus and took their drink orders – a strong black tea with bergamot called "Breakfast Blend" for On Ji, and a green tea with lemongrass for Aang. The two carried on with insignificant conversation for a while. Mostly they spoke of what they had been doing for the past five years. When the subject of the temples came up Aang lit up and talked about all the nomads who were willingly learning the old culture of the airbenders. This was only interrupted when the monk placed his order (On Ji didn't order any food, as she had eaten plenty back at the palace), and when the food arrived.

When that had been thoroughly discussed, they sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments, until On Ji felt she had to bring up the situation with Katara. "Um, Aang? You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, but… it's just kinda been on my mind… and…"

"Yeah?"

"What's going on between us? I mean, did you ask me here to get over Katara or something? Or… to try and make her jealous?"

"No, no not at all." Aang's eyes drooped a little. "I'm really sorry about that. I really thought I was over it. I mean, I saw this all coming, I think I just didn't want to admit it to myself." He paused for a moment. On Ji took a sip of her tea and tried to hide her growing disappointment. He really sounded like he loved Katara. Like he might never be able to feel that for anybody else, especially a simple Fire Nation peasant. "To be honest, when I asked you to come with me, the words came as a shock, but now that you're here, I'm really glad I did. What I felt for Katara is in the past, and the more I talk to you, the more I realize that I need to leave it there, and move on. I was really hoping that I could start by spending time with you."

On Ji smiled sweetly for a moment. "I would like that, actually. I still don't really see why it has to be me, though. You could walk into a crowd and pick any girl you wanted."

"That's only because I'm the Avatar. That's not everything that I am, though. I don't want somebody that's in love with my title, I want somebody that can know and understand _me_. You see me as Aang first."

"Well, I saw you as Kuzon first, actually."

Aang smiled. "It's still closer to who I am than the Avatar."

"Where did you come up with that name, anyways?"

The airbender then told her all about the trouble he used to get into with his friend Kuzon of the Fire Nation, back before the war started. He told her stories of all the people he missed, and all the people she would love to meet. She told him of her friends from the academy and from her hometown. She told him about her parents and her little brother that was still going to the same school she used to go to, and she told him about how much that school had changed because of him. Before they knew it, the sun was beginning to set and they still had not moved.

"It's starting to get dark, maybe we should head back to the palace."

Aang looked out the window and was surprised so much time had passed. "Actually, there's one more thing I'd like to do in town, if you don't mind."

"What's that?"

"Well, you know how you said it is exactly five years since that dance party?"

"Yeah?"

"There's a place a couple blocks from here. They call it a night club and they have live bands play, and, well, would you like to go? It'd be nice to have somebody to dance with again."

On Ji's face lit up. "I'd love to! I have to warn you, though, I haven't exactly mastered those dance moves you showed me."

--

Hours later, the young pair stumbled out of the club with a lair of sweat on their skin and huge smiles on their faces. "I thought you said you hadn't mastered those moves?" Aang was panting, as was his date.

"I haven't. That doesn't mean I have not been practicing." They laughed and started walking down the street. Aang's right hand held tight to his staff, while his left hand was held tight in On Ji's. They stopped in front of a bar with loud obnoxious karaoke music sounding from inside and turned to face eachother.

"I think I'm going to remember this bar here for a long, long time," Aang mentioned while he looked into her eyes.

"Why? You want to go in there or something?"

"No. I just get the feeling that I'm going to remember this as the place where we had our first kiss." And with that, the two leaned in toward each other. Their lips making contact in a soft, simple kiss. Neither one fought for anything more. There was no battle for dominance, or over zealous desire. Just to feel the other against them was more than enough. When they parted Aang flipped open his glider. "Alright, hold on tight. We should probably get back before Zuko sends out a search party."

On Ji struggled to hold on to Aang on the flight back to the palace. Her head was pressed snuggly into his chest, and her arms crossed between his shoulder blades holding on as tight as she could. Flying without Appa was a little more frightening than exhilarating, but the warmth of Aang's body made up for the fear she felt. They landed back in the courtyard within minutes, still beaming and exhausted from the dancing.

Almost instantly they were approached by a very angry waterbender. "Where have you two been?! Do you have any idea how late it is? I've been asking Zuko to send out guards looking for you two for the last two hours!"

"You're right, she does sound like your mother."

"Somebody has to!!" Katara was fuming. Luckily Zuko came out to calm her down.

"Come on, Katya, they're safe. Honestly, Aang isn't exactly defenseless."

"He could've at least told somebody where he was going. We just look outside and suddenly Appa's gone! Then Appa comes back without them!"

"Sis… if you wake up Kya, you're feeding her." Sokka yawned.

"Wait, isn't she still breastfeeding?"

"Yep."

This scared Katara enough to calm her down. They all went back inside and into a rather large lounge where Toph was already laying on a couch with her bare feet up on the armrest. The gray-eyed couple was then interrogated about the day's events. When this had been sorted out Toph got up and hugged Aang, then socked On Ji in the arm for good measure. "Alright everybody, I'm getting some sleep. Good night, guys."

On Ji winced and rubbed her arm. "I already had a bruise there from earlier. Is there any way to get her to stop?"

Aang shook his head. "Nope. If she likes you she hits you. If she doesn't, she throws rocks at you. If I were you I'd be happy with the lesser of two pains." A few yawns were heard and everybody else slowly moved off to their own rooms.


	4. Sokka's Afraid of What!

**Yay! I'm back. Just finished a midterm and had some time to kill, so I finished this chapter here. enjoy guys**

On Ji awoke just after dawn expecting to be back in her small home with her father already gone to work. She instead found that the unfathomable events of the previous day had been real, and she realized that her father had no idea where she was. She'd worry about that after cleaning up, however. She still had not washed off the dried sweat from dancing with Aang.

Not having brought a clean change of clothes, however, she walked to the closet to see if there was at least a robe to wear. She found a robe, but she was shocked to find that the whole closet was filled with silk garments that all seemed to be in roughly her own measurements. Throwing on a long silk bath robe, she headed out to find somebody that could tell her where she could clean up. The first person she came across was Fire Lord Zuko himself. She instinctively placed her hands together properly and bowed deeply.

"Please, don't do that."

"Umm, sorry, Fire Lord Zuko, but"

Zuko smirked. "You're a guest of the Avatar, On Ji. That means you're a guest of my own. Just plain 'Zuko' is fine."

"Oh, ok. Well, Zuko, where can I take a bath?" The girl reached up and scratched at her head, tossing her loose hair around in the process. Zuko nodded his head and led her to a room not far away.

Once alone with the bath prepared, On Ji stripped down and climbed into the water, trying to prepare for a day at the Fire Nation palace, with no idea as to what that would mean. After scrubbing herself clean, On Ji threw the robe back over her shoulders, tied it in place once again and stepped out of the door. Standing in the hallway she realized she really should have paid more attention to how she got there. She walked down the hall and walked into what she thought was her room. Opening the closet, however, she found dozens of yellow and orange robes that were most certainly not there minutes ago. She turned around and noticed Aang, without a shirt, sitting on the balcony with his legs crossed into a lotus position. She gave a start then headed for the door. Before she made it though she felt the water drain from her hair. She turned back around to find Aang had not moved except for his left hand was now off to his side, palm up, and circulating water above it.

"Ohh, sorry Aang. I got lost trying to get back to my room."

The monk turned his head smiling. "Don't worry about it, it's a big place. Turn right, next door on the right side."

"Thank you." She rushed out of the room, blushing, the image of the Avatar's naked torso fresh in her mind, and quickly found her way back to her room and grabbed a black and red dress out of the closet. It was sleeveless, with a high collar and a very intricately embroidered pattern of fire blossoms along the bottom. She thought it much too extravagant, but considering everything in the wardrobe was just as posh, she figured it would have to do. Upon dressing herself she decided to stop in and talk to Aang, as he was still the only one there that she truly felt comfortable with. She knocked tentatively on the door.

"Come in," Aang's voice chorused from the room, and she opened the door and walked in to find the Avatar in the same spot on the balcony, yet no longer topless, nor in the lotus position. Still, however, without shoes. He had picked up the habit after the year of further training with Toph after the war.

"What are you doing out there?"

"I was just feeling the winds blow. I don't get much time to just stand around and enjoy the feeling of it."

"Isn't that why the air temples were built so high off the ground? So there'd be nothing blocking the wind coming through?"

"Yeah, but it's so much work. Don't get me wrong, it's worth it. Every day there's something amazing that makes all the effort toward piecing together the old civilization feel less like a burden and more like an opportunity… or a blessing, but…" Aang let the sentence fall.

"Maybe this little vacation is what you needed. You said your friend Teo is taking care of the temple for a week, so I say you enjoy the week as much as possible."

"That's a great idea! I wonder if Zuko would let us use his family's resort house on Ember Island."

On Ji's jaw dropped. At least, metaphorically. He was talking about _the_ Ember Island, the tourist spot for the wealthiest of Fire Nation citizens. Not only that, but the historical significance of the Royal home on the island was immense. It was the staging ground for the group before they ended the war. Before that, the Fire Lord even sited it as a key location for his own alliance with Aang. Slowly, On Ji moved towards the balcony until she stood next to the Avatar. "Umm, that'd be amazing. I have a small favor to ask, first, though."

"What's that?"

"You think we can stop by my house so I can tell my dad where I disappeared to this time?"

"Alright. I'll ask Zuko about Ember Island after breakfast, then we can head out and talk to your dad."

Ohh, right, breakfast with the family. It still was tough to understand how she ended up amidst the Fire Lord, the Avatar and their friends. Aang reached down and took On Ji's hand in his and squeezed it gently.

On Ji smiled. "I didn't know mind reading was one of your crazy Avatar powers."

"It isn't, but I _can_ feel your pulse. I was trained by the best earthbender who has ever lived, after all."

"Yeah, and I'm gonna be eating breakfast at the same table as her." The grey eyed girl looked down at her outfit. "Any chance they have some sort of protective arm padding I could wear that would match this dress?"

--

"Ohh, that sounds like a great idea! Zuko, you think we could do that? It'd be nice for us to all get a vacation."

"Katara, you know the council would throw a fit if I just got up and left a week before hosting this huge celebration."

"Ohh come on! It's not like you have to be here for every step of the decorating and event coordination. All the meetings are on hold until after the anniversary anyways, aren't they?"

"I thought you were supposed to be the new and improved Fire Lord. You know, willing to have peace and relax every once in a while." Sokka looked up from the child in his lap long enough to add in his opinion on the subject, as usual.

"And I bet little Kya would have such a great time on the beach," On Ji added. "She would be adorable in a swim suit."

Sokka nodded in agreement. "Katara and I have to teach her how to swim anyways."

Suki scowled at her husband. "Sokka, she's a year and a half old. You can't put her in the ocean and expect her to learn to swim."

"But… but… she's water tribe! No child from the Southern Water Tribe worth their weight in rocks should ever reach the age of two without knowing how to swim!"

"Did you just insult rocks in my presence?"

"No, that's not what I meant Toph, it's just a phrase."

"Well it's a stupid phrase"

Katara had a huge smile on her face when she butted in. "Hold on, Toph. This is odd, because I heard differently from Gran-Gran."

Sokka suddenly looked worried. "Don't you dare, Katara!"

Suki seemed interested suddenly. "Don't you dare, what, Katara?"

Toph leaned over to whisper something to On Ji, who started to giggle at what was said.

"Well, I just heard that a certain Southern Water Tribesman –"

"I swear, you will never be able to see Kya again!"

"She's my daughter too, and Aunty Katara will see her whenever she wants!" Suki jabbed a finger into Sokka's shoulder. "Now, what about this tribesman?"

"Well, I have it on good authority that at least one Water Tribe boy was afraid of the ocean until he was eight years old."

The room burst out in fits of laughter. Aang, however, just chuckled nervously, and scratched his head.

"What's up with the fake laugh there, Twinkletoes?"

"What? Umm… nothing. It was funny. Water tribe, afraid of water. Hahah!"

"No, seriously, what's up with the fake laugh?" Toph kept pressing.

"Well, I was too young to really remember, but the monks told me that when I was really little I was terrified of heights."

Another round of laughter circled the room. On Ji put a comforting hand on the Avatar's knee while she tried to muffle her laughter into her hand.

After the laughter had died down a bit Zuko spoke up. "Alright guys, it sounds like a plan. I'll ask Ursa if she can watch over any proceedings for the next few days, and we can all go out to the beach house."

"Awesome! See you guys there then! On Ji and I have something we need to do on the way." Aang and On Ji stood up from the table.

"Really? Where are you guys going?" Katara, as always, wanted to know where every member of her roost was at all times.

"I'm, kinda, meeting her dad."

"Good luck. I don't know about you guys, but I've had some bad experiences with Fire Nation fathers." In his standard dry fashion, Zuko managed to hold a straight face.


	5. Meeting the Parent

They were getting close to her hometown now. She couldn't quite figure out how she knew, but On Ji definitely knew. It was almost as though she could measure distance by the air flying past her as she sat up on Appa's head and watched the horizon become the ground beneath them.

"You mentioned your dad works in the local steel factory, right?" Aang looked very nervous as he guided Appa back towards the cave where he had met On Ji just a day before.

"Yeah, you don't have to worry, though. He's a really big guy from working on the machines in there, but he's really just a great big teddy bear."

Somehow this didn't seem to alleviate Aang's worry. The most powerful bender on the planet and he was still nervous about meeting the parents. Or parent? "I don't think you've mentioned your mom. What's she like?"

The silence that followed answered Aang's question.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to –"

"No, it's alright. Better that I explain it than dad. My mom was taken from us in a raid when I was only six. My brother was barely an infant."

"But, you guys are fire-nation. Why would they raid the houses of their own people?"

"That's just it. We were fire-nation, all of us, except, mom couldn't prove it. She was taken in the middle of the day while I was at school and dad was at work. They took my brother out of her hands and left him in the care of our neighbors until one of us got home to retrieve him. "

"What do you mean your mom couldn't prove it?"

"My parents met in the colonies. I was actually born there on the south-western edge of the earth kingdom. My dad used to tell me that on clear nights you could see the Southern Air Temple off in the distance. The thing is, though, that my mom was an orphan. She was raised by a couple of very kind, middle-class, fire-nation citizens in our colony, but apparently that wasn't good enough to prove loyalty if you wanted to live in the Fire Nation properly. My dad got a job in the Fire Nation when I was four, and about two years later they raided our house while nobody was home to take my mom away from us. They claimed she wasn't fire-nation and they could prove it. We never got to see her again."

"That's horrible. I'm sorry you had to go through something so cruel."

"It's alright. I still have my dad, and my memories of her, and I know that what I went through is nothing compared to most of the world… Thank you, as though you don't hear it often enough. It seems a little strange to say, but thank you for beating our nation."

Aang didn't quite know what to say. After a second he reached his hand out and held onto On Ji's. A small town came into view and On Ji directed Aang towards her own house by peering at the rooftops.

"On Ji, why do you do this all the time!" A booming voice came from inside the doorway as On Ji hopped off the side Appa's head – landing much more gracefully on the street below than the last time. A large crowd had already formed as Aang dismounted.

"What are you talking about daddy?"

"You disappear like a breath when nobody's looking, stay away just long enough to make me worried sick and then make such a big entrance that the whole town notices you."

"I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to worry you. I didn't know I'd be gone very long."

"Actually, I'm sorry. I hope I didn't keep her too long. I didn't think it through very well when I asked her to join me on my trip to the capitol." Aang didn't even breathe. The nerves were leading him to talk far too quickly to be truly understood. "And if I had known, sir, that I would at all be inconveniencing or troubling you by asking her to keep me company on my trip, sir, I certainly would have asked you for permission first. I hope you can for-" Aang stopped abruptly when he realized that nobody was really listening to him. The children were busy playing with Appa – who was thoroughly enjoying the attention – while the adults, including On Ji's father, stood petrified, mouth agape, staring at the great Avatar Aang, liberator, conqueror and legend.

"Daddy, this is Aang."

"I can see that. I… ohh my… Mr. Avatar! Sir? Your honor? Your…"

"Aang… just Aang. It's a pleasure to meet you, sir." Aang extended his hand, intending it to be taken, and shaken, by that of the towering, powerful man in front of him. He did not expect the pain that accompanied such a hand shake, but he managed to withhold his grimace.

"Wow.. Well, Aang, it's an absolute honor to meet you. My name is Oren Cheng. It would be a pleasure to have you stay for lunch."

"I couldn't –"

"You can and you will. I'm not one for silly formalities of this sort. Plus, you just kept my daughter overnight, and I'd like to think that a father should be able to speak with the man that keeps his little angel overnight."

A large lump quickly developed in Aang's throat, which he could not seem to swallow. "I assure you, Mr. Cheng, that it was nothing like that."

"Who would I be to doubt the word of the Avatar? You're still staying for dinner, though, and I'd prefer no further argument on the matter."

Aang agreed, and requested a piece of parchment to send a letter to the Palace. He wanted Zuko's men to look for information about On Ji's mother. It seemed doubtful, but there may be a chance that she was still alive in exile somewhere. At the very least it would be nice to get some information about her abduction. After drafting the letter, and sending it off by borrowed messenger hawk, Aang entered the kitchen to find On Ji and Oren preparing their meal.

* * *

File clerks do not often take much pride in their job. To be honest, it is tough to find one that likes their job enough to care about it at all. The tedium, the mind-numbing dullness of the writing, all multiplied by the hours by candle light in deep hallways of shelves and cabinets. To put it simply, the man that was entrusted to look up the documents concerning the mother of On Ji Cheng of Earth Nation Colony Fourteen, did as he was told with a great lack of enthusiasm. He did not read the documents he found, simply pulled the file marked "Cheng" from the sub-category "Earth Nation Colony Fourteen" in the category "Heritage Disputes" which was set up in the wall length (and height) cabinet designated for those raids that were performed internally during the year of On Ji's bother's birth. These documents were then promptly delivered by messenger hawk to Ember Island where the Fire Lord and his friends could read them and get their jollies from whatever useless documents this file may possess.

What the file clerk did after that, I have no idea. I hazard no guess at this, but I am certain that he did it with equally great vigor, which is to say none at all, and eventually collected his paycheck so that he could spend half of it at the bar in one night. I have no further use for him in this story anyways, he played only the one singular role, and may now pass on to the next story in which he will play roughly the same part.


	6. First Night In

**Forgot to mention it in the last chapter, but I'm sure you are all aware that I do not own the characters in this story. Nor do I own the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender. I just use them and contort them to my own design. Enjoy!**

**R&R please?**

* * *

"I don't think I like her."

"Too bad, Sugar Queen. I don't think you get an opinion in this."

"Why not?"

"Katara, do you really have to ask?" Sokka walked up with a drink in his hand.

Katara shook her head. "I don't know what it is. It's just, I think he can do better."

"I can tell you what it is," Toph was sounding less and less pleased with Katara as the conversation continued. "I can tell you exactly what it is if you really want to know."

"Please, Toph, enlighten me. Oh great mystical mind reader, why do I not trust the wonderful On Ji, the stranger that is suddenly everybody's best friend, and attached to the world's most important spiritual figure? I mean, it can't be rational distrust."

"Sweet lips, if it were anybody else, I'd chalk it up to rational distrust. But for you? No. What it is for you, is your second thoughts. It's you suddenly thinking that you may have turned down the guy that has loved you unconditionally and endlessly since the day he met you, and now that you're staring the last man of your life in the face, you don't know if you made the right choice."

"I am appalled that you would even think that, Toph. I have Zuko, I feel loved, I am IN love."

Suki arrived from the beach house, carrying Kya in front of her. "Alright guys, Zuko is following me shortly, so change the topic." Then a little more quietly, "I totally agree with you, Toph."

"How? She's in place to catch a baby – which, I'm not taking anything away from her for, I love that she did that – but that's no reason for her to be placed on some kind of – Hi sweety!" Before Zuko could finish approaching she rasped, under her breath, to the other girls gathered "this conversation is _not_ over."

"I know when things are being kept from me, girls."

"What are you talking about? We wouldn't hide anything from you." Zuko gave Katara an incredulous look, telling her that not a word of it was believed.

"Sparky, don't worry about it. Yes we're keeping something from you. Move on." Toph brought her glass to her lips to take a sip of her drink, wincing a tiny bit at the strength of the liquor. "Gah, it gets me every time. The Fire Nation sure knows how to distill its booze."

"There's one thing that Water Tribes have on the Fire Nation hands down, though!" Toph looked over to Sokka expecting more.

"What's that, waterboy?"

"Yeah, Sokka, what is that?" Katara was equally interested.

"Drinking games! Everybody grab three stones. We're getting slammed."

* * *

"Ohh thank the spirits you've arrived, Aang! Can you hold Kya for a second? I need to slap my husband."

"I think they got started without us, On Ji." Aang reached out to accept the proffered child. "Let's go see what they're up to." It didn't take long to figure out what was happening.

"What do you mean I'm cheating?"

"You're not supposed to bend your rocks into multiple rocks, Toph. You can't do that!"

"Sounds to me like somebody's just too much of a pansy to take his shot."

"I am so never playing this game with an earthbender again," Sokka slurred before downing another shot that he didn't need to be taking. "Ouch! What was that for?"

"For being too drunk to help watch your daughter. Aang has her now, I'm going to the restroom."

"Aang's here? Aang! Hey, hey, On Ji, come here! I gotta teach you this game."

"Umm..." On Ji glanced at Aang, looking for a reason to get out of whatever game had turned Sokka into a drunken mess.

"I don't know. She's Fire Nation. I don't think she stands a chance considering how quickly Zuko was out." Katara said, poking her unconscious fiancé a little harder than she intended. "Of course, it doesn't help that we were all teaming up against him."

"You don't have to if you don't want, On Ji." Aang tried giving the girl an escape.

"Yeah, but wussing out will effect the nickname I give you!"

"Alright, I'm in. I'm sorry, Aang, but I apparently have to reclaim my nation's honor, since the Fire Lord couldn't do it." Aang just smiled and nodded his approval. On Ji stood on her toes to kiss the Avatar on the cheek, then bounced off towards the group.

"Ok, guys, the new girl has some catching up to do. Let's help her out with that."

Aang walked inside to hide Kya from potential harm. Suki joined him in the front room shortly after he entered. "I see your date has opted for the social lubricant route."

"I guess you can say that. What is it with these Fire Nation people and their honor."

"Ahh. They managed to taunt her into it?"

"She can use some bonding with them anyways."

"You might want to be careful about that bonding. There was some conversation that came up earlier, that… I should stop. How was it meeting her parents?"

"Let me guess, you're not mentioning another word on that first topic, so I should just answer your question as though it were a smooth and inconspicuous topic change?"

"You are far less airheaded than Toph gives you credit for." Suki laughed a little. Looking over she watched her daughter slowly falling asleep in Aang's arms.

"It was only her dad, actually."

"Mom couldn't make it?" Aang made eye contact and communicated all he needed to through his expression. "Ohh, I'm sorry to hear that."

"I don't think it's something for me to explain. It went well, though. Her father is a very powerful figure. The way he and On Ji are together, it sort of reminds me of Gyatso." Suki took a second to recall the name and finally placed it in a conversation about Aang's mentor from his first childhood. "I mean, on his own he's a powerful and proud man, and there is a certain ferocity behind him that you'd expect from the people of the Fire Nation, but with On Ji it is all about protecting his little girl, even from herself."

"Ohh my, I forgot, we had some food left over from dinner. Did you guys eat?"

"Umm… Kind of?"

"No vegetarian menu at her house?"

"Nope. I picked around the hippo-cow best I could, but there wasn't a whole lot. Where are you keeping the veggies?"

"No, you don't get to move. Keep Kya asleep so we can all get some rest. I'll get you some food."

Suki came back with a plate, and traded it with Aang in exchange for her sleeping daughter. Suki then curled up and drifted off while Aang ate. After finishing his meal, and putting his plate away, Aang sat back down about to drift off himself.

The doors crashed open to prevent any more rest from being had.

"Wahh!"

"Sokka, can you.. ohh my," Suki yawned and carried her child away to try to get her back to sleep in a quieter room."

"Alright girl, I'm not ready to crown you the pride of the Fire Nation yet, but you sure buried Sparky." Toph walked in leaning heavily on On Ji, who was leaning heavily on Toph in return.

"So, no nickname yet, huh?"

"Let me sleep on it. I'll label you yet, don't worry."

"I still like my idea." Katara slurred, barely managing to get through the door under the weight of her brother who seemed to be a breath or two away from being irreparably passed out. Upon breaking the threshold, Katara dropped him on the ground, and barely managed three more steps before falling on her rear.

"No, Katara! Fire Nation Floozy is not going to stick. It's just plain hurtful." Aang looked up in shock at what Toph said. "We need hurtful and descriptive."

Zuko stumbled in on his own, obviously not knowing where he was, and wandering through towards any bedroom he could find like a zombie.

"No, no, no, I can do floozy." On Ji stumbled her way to Aang's seat, straddled him and grabbed him by the collar to force her lips on his for a long, passionate kiss. Then, breaking apart from the lip-lock, she immediately curled up in his lap with her head on his shoulder, and fell asleep.

Toph merely laughed delightedly and headed over to whisper in Aang's ear, "I like her. Do not screw this up. Please?"

"I am going to have so many questions for you in the morning, Toph."

* * *

**I love drunkenness in the Avatar world. Sorry for any that do not like the idea.**


	7. Light Weight

**Another chapter has arrived! Still do not own the characters or world they live in. Please enjoy!**

* * *

"Good morning. How does your head feel?"

"Ugh… Don't talk so loud. Why are we in the front room?" On Ji fought to keep her eyes open against the light starting to filter in through the windows.

In scarcely more than a whisper, Aang told her "you kind of passed out here, and I didn't want to disturb you by moving you."

On Ji gave up her fight. Letting her eyes close again, she set her head back into Aang's shoulder, and placed a finger on his lips. "Sh."

Aang touched two fingers to On Ji's exposed temple and warmed them slightly with his firebending. "No more sleeping. I got a surprise for you."

"Is it a magic pill that makes the head-ache go away?"

Aang laughed lightly. "Let me get up, I'll get you some water."

"No, you don't get to move your hand."

"It works better with water, and when I can reach both sides of your head."

On Ji reluctantly stood up briefly to allow Aang to move to the kitchen to grab a glass of water. Zuko, ever the morning person, slunk his way into the living room to greet his guests. Both of his hands were placed against his own temples, rotating slowly. "Was that a messenger hawk I saw flying by my window this morning?"

Aang poured a second glass of water, handing one to each of his friends before taking a seat behind On Ji and placing his fingers against the sides of her head to massage a little bit of the hangover away. "Yeah. Some documents from the Palace were delivered."

Zuko covered his face with his palm. "For me, I suppose?"

"No, well, kinda? It is something you will be interested in, I'm sure. But it was a few documents that I asked for, and they're for On Ji. Actually, why don't you get some tea brewing while she looks through them."

Zuko found this agreeable and set about brewing a pot of his uncle's favorite hangover cure. He was rather shocked by the thick silence that filled the room, occasionally cut by a quiet gasp. After a few minutes a strange, uncontrolled squeal came from the Fire Nation girl.

Sokka, previously a lump in the corner where Katara had dropped him the night before, jumped to his feet briefly, only to fall back to the floor, still feeling the effects of the drinking game. "What's up? Where are they? I'll protect you Suki!"

"Aang, did you read this?" On Ji, suddenly without care for the pain in her head, turned around to face the Avatar.

"Wait, wh- what's going on? Why am I on the floor?"

"No, I didn't. I thought I should let you read through it first, since she was your mother."

"Aang, this is my mom's family tree as according to the Fire Nation." She handed Aang the first document, and started pointing. "My grandfather was named Narayan. I don't know what that means, but it sure isn't a Fire Nation name. His parents, my great-grandparents, were Bayarmaa and Sonam, and then –

"Wait… Sonam?"

"Yeah, look!" On Ji handed Aang another page as Zuko headed in from the kitchen.

"You said these papers came from the Palace?"

"Are you guys going to explain any of this to me?" Sokka protested.

"Go back to sleep. Everything's fine, Sokka. We'll explain it when you wake up for real." Suki appeared from the hallway.

"Alright." Snoring started up from the corner quickly.

"Kya's still asleep. Was going to just get something to drink, but now I want to know what's going on out here."

"Good morning, Suki. And to answer Zuko, and fill you in a bit I guess, these are straight from the Palace. On Ji told me a story about how her mother was taken away by Ozai. I requested documents hoping that maybe she was still alive, but I was not expecting this!"

"Expecting what?" Suki and Zuko chorused.

"Sonam was the name of the son of my friend Anil. Anil was older than me by about five years. He had already earned his arrows and had left the temple with his wife to become a nomad well before the Fire Nation started attacking the temples. I saw him only a few times after they left. The last time I saw them, maybe a month before the iceberg incident, Odval was pregnant. They told me they were going into hiding. Somebody had been looking for them, but Sonam was going to be the name of their baby if it was a boy." Aang showed Zuko the family tree that had been mapped by the Fire Nation, pointing to the names he was mentioning. "Sonam, son of Anil and Odval."

"And the second page I gave you there says Anil is from the Southern Air Temple, a student of Master Gyatso!"

"Whole generations that lived as nomads, entirely away from the temples. They were hunted constantly for a hundred years! These groups must have stopped bending, at least in public, immediately after the temples were invaded. They were traced using information from the temples, then from prisoners they captured."

"Then there's this last document. It's a report from the day mom was taken."

"Zuko, there might be others. Can we –"

"Can it wait until after the festival? I really can use this vacation, and so can you."

Heavy steps announced Toph coming around the corner. "Alright guys, I tried so hard to not care. Really, I did. But your heart beats, and moving around, and talking won't let me sleep, so what in the name of Koh is so exciting? And Zuko, is that your Uncle's hangover cure I smell?"

"Ye-"

"Give me some."

* * *

It didn't take long for everybody to start moving around. Aang had cooked up a breakfast for everybody shortly before Katara and Sokka managed to join. Kya had awoken and was now in the arms of Suki, and the tea was flowing all around. The adults were chattering away about the latest revelation.

"Wow, On Ji… It says here that your neighbors were all asked about the color of your eyes?"

"Yeah, that weirded me out too, Suki. The craziest part, though, is their responses are all lies. I have grey eyes, and every one of the neighbors they asked said I had brown eyes."

"Grey eyes were really common around the temples," Aang was quick to point out. "Just like waterbenders tend to have blue eyes and earthbenders have green eyes." Aang thought for a second about the family tree he had been looking at. "You know, your mom was probably able to bend."

"No she wasn't," On Ji stated, not quite sure of herself.

"Well, she probably was. Hanging around Teo for a while, he taught me some crazy things about how bending and eye color and so many other things depend on your parents. The thing is, every child of an airbender is an airbender. It's uncommon, but in any of the other nations you can have two bender parents with a non-bender child, or to have two non-benders parent a bender-"

"Ahem, like the greatest earth bender in the world."

"No, I think Bumi's mom was a bender if I remember ri-"

"What did you say?"

Aang grinned broadly, then hopped on an air scooter out the door, heading quickly for the shoreline, disrobing down to his trunks on the way. If he could reach the water, she wouldn't be able to touch him.

On Ji got up and started walking back to her room. Katara quickly inquired as to where she was heading. "To see if there are any bathing suits around here. I could use a break, and what's the point of a beach house without using the beach?"

"Ooo! Kya! Let's get your bathing suit on you!" Suki obviously loved the idea.

* * *

On Ji came out to the beach wearing what appeared to be one of Azula's bathing suits. Aang, who refused to leave the water, approved of the look judging by his unconscious gawking at the sight of her. As she approached Toph, a small arm stretched out to stop her.

"So, you like Aang, right?"

"Umm, yeah."

"And you seem to be the nice kind, willing to share with those you care about."

"I suppose."

"So, you wouldn't mind sharing the punishment that I was intending to give that little airhead, right Light Weight?"

"What?"

On Ji found herself rocketing through the air, propelled by the sand that was previously under her feet. Aang used his waterbending to catch the girl and bring her down gently beside him. "Hey!" Toph shouted from the shore. "That sounded like way too much bending, and not enough uncomfortable splashing. I'll be waiting for you Twinkle Toes."

"Wait, Toph. Did you just call me Light Weight?"

"Yep, welcome to the family. Don't think your special or anything."

On Ji turned to Aang. "Thanks for catching me. I was hoping I could go play with that adorable little girl of Suki's, though, if you don't mind."

After a quick kiss on On Ji's cheek, Aang agreed. "I actually wanted to catch up with Toph to ask her about a couple things anyways. Guess I'll take the punishment she's waiting to give me. Sorry you had to be on the receiving end of that last one."

On Ji just shook her head, kissed Aang quickly then swam off towards Kya.

Aang, headed off to the shore to find Toph who was bending a sand castle large enough to live in.

"Hey, Toph!" The earth came up to envelope the Avatar's legs up to the knee. Aang sighed.

"You know, Aang, honestly, I'm sorry for the amount of arrogance I show about my bending." Aang's mouth dropped at the sound of Toph apologizing… for anything… ever. "You have to understand that when I meet people it's really just one of two titles I can have. It's between 'Greatest Earth Bender in the World' or 'Earth Bending Teacher of the Avatar.' Nothing against you, but I'm sure you understand that one of those is about people meeting me, and the other is about people meeting you vicariously. It's kind of insulting. I'd rather be known on my terms."

"So, does this mean you're not really going to hurt me for that joke inside?"

A perfectly crafted hand quickly rose from the sand and backhanded Aang in the face. "I'm sure you understand that it had to be done." The sand holding his feet in place dropped back into the beach. "Thank you for just accepting it and not trying to fight back."

"It'd really be futile anyways. I mean, you are the greatest earthbender in the world."

"Sweet, now that we have that settled, what's up airhead?"

"Last night, when you came in, what was up with the nick-name that Katara gave On Ji?"

"Mostly drunken nonsense."

"Mostly?"

Toph sighed. "Why aren't you asking Katara about this?"

"Because you won't sugar-coat anything. I want to know what's going on between Katara and On Ji."

"Alright, well you came to the right person, oddly enough. You want Katara's reasoning behind her dislike for your new girlfriend, or mine?"

"First off, she's not really my girlfriend. We barely know each other. And, both, Katara's first."

"First off, that's just semantics. You guys want each other in so many ways and you know it." Aang saw no reason to argue the point in front of a living lie detector. "Now, sit down, this might take a moment."

Aang lifted chairs out of the sand for both benders. Toph then set about explaining Katara's feelings about On Ji and the two reasons that were discussed the day before.

Aang sat pensive for a moment. "I don't really see Katara as the jealous type like that. I guess if anything is going to scare her into it, it would be marriage, though. I'll see if anything can be figured out through conversation, but that will probably fix itself once the wedding is over. As for her reasoning, that's just a matter of the two being around each other, right?"

"I don't know. Katara doesn't seem to trust the people of the Fire Nation very quickly. Hell, it took five years for this wedding to happen."

"That's probably not a good attribute to have when you're about to be crowned Fire Lady."

"Aang, face it, the vast majority of the people we've met from the Fire Nation were trying to kill us, and we weren't even ruling their country. Maybe it's a great attribute for her to have."

* * *

**Please review if you've made it this far... even flames. I just like to hear from people.**


	8. You Can't Imagine the Nightmares

Aaaaand, here you go! Enjoy!

* * *

"So, that wasn't all you wanted to ask about, was it?"

"Well, not really." Aang kicked some sand around beneath him for a moment, trying to decide how to formulate his concerns. There wasn't just one question on his mind. It wasn't just one statement he needed to make. Instead, every question could have a thousand answers, and every statement give way to a thousand responses, and each would then splinter again into a thousand more and a thousand more. He needed to find a place to start.

"It's about Light Weight, isn't it?"

"Of course. Everything is the last couple days, and that's part of the problem." Aang closed his eyes briefly, and upon reopening them focused on the horizon beyond Toph's shoulder. "Is there any way that this actually ends well? I mean, I want things to slow down a bit, but now, with the news today, what if she wants to be a student? What then? If she's a student, how could I possibly be involved any more than as her master? I mean, I can't refuse my services as an airbending master to one of the last remaining people that may actually have the ability to bend air. If I am her sifu, I can not taint that position by carrying on with the kissing and cuddling and, well," Aang blushed so bright that Toph could almost feel the heat coming off his face. "I've sort of been enjoying that. I can't just try to keep both up. What if she decides she wants to learn AND we keep doing this stuff and then years from now she decides it's over between us and wants to run off and marry one of my best friends, but she-"

"Aaaaand we find another level of awkward! It's been five years, Aang! Be happy for them!"

"What?" Aang looked at his friend, highly confused by her interruption.

"Umm… That wasn't a reference to Katara?"

"What?" Aang stopped briefly to think about what he was saying. "Ohh my. No, that wasn't… No… I'm fine with that. It's fine. But, what if On Ji does leave me, but she still wants to continue learning? Would I be strong enough to treat that properly? And what if she's actually a Fire Nation rebel that wants to find her way into my life to kill me in my sleep or even worse! Like that one time when Momo started getting all creepy eyed when I was just about to pass out every night for a week. Nightmares, Toph. You can't imagine the nightmares. Or what if she commands a big air ship to come down and -"

"STOP! So, basically, you've come to me for relationship advice?"

"I suppose so, yeah."

"You realize I'm the only one here that's completely single right?"

"Well, there's –"

"We're not going to count Kya, Twinkle Toes, she's not even two. Honestly, what makes you think that I, of all people, would be able to help you with this?"

Aang didn't really have an answer for that. He knew that he wanted Toph's advice on the issue more than any of the others here, but he didn't really know why. "Well… you spend more time with Iroh than any of us. You kind of remind me of him a little bit, actually. You know, able to be objective about things, and I could totally go for some Iroh style advice here. Plus have you seen the relationships our friends have found? I'm amazed we haven't had a funeral to go to yet."

Toph thought about this for some time. If she were to be honest with Aang, she would admit she felt deeply touched by the compliment implicit in his statement, but of course to say as much would be to admit happiness without somebody else being hurt to arrive at it. "Alright, I'll help you out, Twinkle Toes. You ever hear Bumi's talk about neutral jin?"

"Yeah."

"Well, never mind then. You don't need my help at all." Toph stood up and continued working on her sand palace.

"So I should do nothing?"

"If I were to hunch my back, look like a psychopath and say 'exactly!' would that answer all your questions?"

"Umm, no."

"Alright, how can I make this some Iroh-esque analogy? HEY SPARKY!"

Zuko looked up from the other side of the beach to see Toph, smiling broadly, waving him over. The Fire Lord stoically nodded to Katara and took his leave to walk over to Toph.

"What's up, shorty?"

"Trying to help Aang out with some sagely Gramps type advice. You got anything that would say, 'let life happen and don't do anything stupid?'"

"Hmm… How about, imagine a fish lives his entire life in the river. Can he be said –"

"The destiny thing?" Aang cut Zuko off. "Jeong-Jeong told me that one, actually. Doesn't really fit here."

"I swear, half of those Order of the White Lotus meetings have to be devoted to thinking of sayings to try to turn into proverbs."

Aang chuckled. "I wonder if we can ever listen in to some of the failed ones. "

Zuko smiled, "That's got to be fun come to think of it."

"How about," Aang adopted a serious voice for a moment. "Be aware of the penguin's travels. Only the blind may ask for a reprieve for eating the yellow snow."

Toph looked blankly at the airbender who was now laughing wildly. "I don't get it."

Zuko cut in. "Anyways, how about this: The most efficient hunter in the woods is the spider. He creates a web as an extension of himself, and he waits. He uses no energy in his hunt. He simply allows for fate to bring what may come."

"Hmm… Bizarrely violent if you think about it." Aang pondered for a bit. "How about I just talk to her about this?"

"Meh... that might work too," Toph shrugged.

Aang sped off towards the small collection of friends on the other side of the beach. Toph turned her attention to the Fire Lord. "Hey Sparky, think you can give me a hand real quick?"

"Sure, what do you need?"

"Can you melt some of this sand for me? My castle could use some windows."

* * *

Aang rose early the next morning. He intended to take his glider and fly to the Eastern most point on the island. (You don't exactly watch things while meditating, but the sunrise is always a nice backdrop in the event that you're distracted and pulled back to reality.) On his way out the door, however, On Ji's hand gripped his wrist briefly to stop him.

"So, meditation. It's a big part of your culture right?"

Aang took careful note of use of "your" in her sentence, but he didn't quite know what to make of it. Only that she was not an air nomad at this moment.

"Yeah. Our people were very spiritual. We tried hard to be at peace both physically and mentally. Meditation is a large part of that."

On Ji's deep grey eyes took on a pensive, half-awake squint. "Would you be able to teach me how?"


End file.
